top of page

His height was a problem


Alan Ladd and Donna Reed in "Beyond Glory"

Alan Ladd (September 3, 1913 – January 29, 1964).

Alan Walbridge Ladd was an American actor and film and television producer. He found success in film in the 1940s and early 1950s, particularly in Westerns, such as Shane (1953), and in film noirs. He was often paired with Veronica Lake because she was shorter at 4' 11" than his 5' 6" height. He also appeared in ten films with William Bendix.


His other notable credits include Two Years Before the Mast (1946), Whispering Smith (1948), which was his first Western and color film, and The Great Gatsby (1949). His popularity diminished in the mid-1950s, though he continued to appear in numerous films, including the smash hit The Carpetbaggers (1963).


He appears with Donna Reed in the films Beyond Glory (1948) and Chicago Deadline (1949). Filming wasn't a problem because Reed was 5' 3" tall.

bottom of page